


The Rise of Millicent

by AKyloDarkly83 (ksquared83)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adorable, Chance Meeting, Easy Read, F/M, Fluffy, Love at First Sight, Mild Angst, meet cute, minor kitten peril, the perfect balm for that Snoke comic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-18 12:20:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20639060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksquared83/pseuds/AKyloDarkly83
Summary: Ben Solo loves taking his new bike on the highway, but when he wants to open the throttle on a straightaway he sees a small, orange kitten in the middle of the road and his protective instincts take over but he isn't the only good samaritan to show concern for the small animal.  On his way to save the cat he meets a young woman named Rey.





	1. Not all Heroes Wear Capes

**Author's Note:**

> So I saw this video on youtube where a motorcyclist saw a cat in the road and stopped to rescue it. An old man then stopped in a car to help out but naturally, I thought "This... but Reylo." So here we are.  
This is a short fic, maybe two possibly three chapters, but i wanted to create a super fluffy, cute, balm to counteract the trauma caused by the Age of Resistance Snoke comic.  
Enjoy!

  
Ben opened the throttle both to clear the on-ramp and to hear the bike’s inline 4-cylinder sing. He’s had his satin black Tie Silencer for a couple of weeks now and despite it being the middle of the rainy season, he took her out every chance he got. There was no better feeling than that of the wind screaming through his leathers and his thermal mesh as he felt the bike vibrate with silken power beneath him; in some ways facing the open road with two wheels between you and the asphalt was better than sex… almost.  
  
The highway was the best place to test his baby’s limits and traffic was light this Saturday morning. Two cars, one in each lane stood between him and the fast lane so before they closed the distance, he whipped between them and gunned the throttle as he launched himself onto the open road. There was nothing stopping him from opening up all the way, no cops, no cars, no problem… until there was.  
  
Behind his thick black visor, he narrowed his eyes as he spotted something in the road ahead, an orange speck at first, probably some dirty laundry that fell out of someone’s truck but it was still something he didn’t want to hit so he backed off the throttle and leaned to the left to miss it until he came closer to the strange orange object in the road. That’s when he thought he saw it move and as he passed within feet of the animal, his heart spiked with adrenaline as he realized it was still alive.  
  
“Holy shit!” Ben didn’t think twice before pulling off to the shoulder and slamming on his rear brake, locking up the wheel and fishtailing to a stop just as they taught him in the safety class. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to him as he tried to process what he saw. He wasn’t sure what kind of animal it was, but he thought it might a cat, possibly a kitten.  
  
He kicked his stand down and threw his leg off the bike as he started jogging back to the small orange lump in the road. Cars raced by at highway speeds, blasting them with gusts of wind as he rushed toward the helpless animal. A small truck slammed on their brakes and swerved at the last minute to avoid hitting the thing in the road.  
  
“Jesus Christ,” he cursed as he flipped up his visor and frantically waved his arms at the oncoming traffic to get their attention. Cars began to slow but continued to pass by; one car pulled off to the side of the road and a young woman stepped out with a look of shock on her face.  
  
“Omigod, is that a cat?” She shouted at him as he jogged by.  
  
“I don’t know, maybe?” He replied, sparing only the briefest of glances at her as he ran into the middle of the road. Cars slowed once they saw what he was doing but they still kept driving.  
  
“Fuck, just stop, goddammit!” He doubted anyone could hear him, but he waved his hands frantically to get the cars to stop as he rushed over to the terrified orange kitten huddled in the middle of the road.  
  
“Hey, hey, come here sweetheart, it’s going to be alright,” he murmured as he scooped the tiny animal into his black-gloved hands. Its eyes were wide with alarm as they fixed squarely on his while squeaks of distress issued from its tiny mouth.  
  
“It’s fine, you’re gonna be fine, I got you,” he said as he petted the tiny furball on the head. He hurried back to the shoulder as traffic resumed speeding up, but the woman who’d stopped jogged over to him. Her eyes went wide with alarm when she saw the kitten.  
  
“Oh no, the poor thing! Is she hurt?” She reached out to stroke the kitten’s head.  
  
“I don’t know, I think she’s just scared but we can take her to a vet to get checked out just to make sure.”  
  
“Oh,” the woman gasped, “I’m kinda new around here, actually. I’m not really familiar with the area.”  
  
With his adrenaline still pumping, he couldn’t bring himself to the edge of annoyance like he usually would dealing with strangers, but when he looked up and her shining hazel eyes locked onto his, he felt his breath catch. The woman was young, in her mid-twenties at the latest with short brunette hair pulled back into a strange assortment of messy buns. She had on a simple beige sweater draped over her white shirt and shin-high blue jeans with small rain boots that looked like she’d bought at Goodwill.  
  
Under any other circumstances, Ben might have laughed at how odd she looked but the longer he gazed into those concerned, compassionate eyes he found it increasingly difficult to find fault with her.  
  
“I… uh, well, um…” he pulled his gaze away just long enough to collect his thoughts. Once he felt the heat in his cheeks recede under his helmet, he said, “There’s a plaza up at the next exit. We should get off the road, find a place to park, grab a coffee and figure out what to do.”  
  
Her eyes widened at that, “Oh, right. Of course. It’s not safe out here for her, or… us.”  
  
He gestured awkwardly to his bike parked just fifty feet away when he said, “I’d take her but… I don’t really have a place to put her.”  
  
The girl looked over her shoulder and gasped as if seeing the bike for the first time. “Oh, yes, um… I can take her. Probably safer that way… in my car.”  
  
Ben swallowed hard as he held the kitten gently out to her. “Here, she seems to be calming down some.”  
  
Rey took the tiny, squeaking kitten as she stroked her head and said, “Hey, little one! Oh, you’re so tiny. What are you doing out here?” She turned back toward her car as Ben escorted her.  
  
Without even thinking about what he was doing, he put his hand on her back as they went. She glanced at him when she felt his touch and he quickly pulled his hand away.  
  
“Uh, sorry, just follow me up to the next exit, okay?”  
  
“Sure, I’ll be right behind you,” she said as she glanced at him one more time before getting back into her car with the kitten.  
  
Once he’d walked past the car, he slammed his black visor down, feeling like an absolute idiot.  
  
“Shit, shit, shit! I can’t believe you just did that,” he muttered to himself, “You seriously did not just ask her out to coffee, you dumbass. What the hell are you thinking? You’re not doing this again, Ben, not this.”  
  
He threw his leg up and over his seat and kicked up the stand as he fired up the bike and checked the traffic. The road was lightly traveled so when a tractor-trailer blew past, he popped the clutch. His tires skidded slightly on the gravelly shoulder as he got up to speed. Checking his mirror to make sure the hot girl in the shitty car was following, he maintained his speed so that he wouldn’t lose her.  
  
“Shit, shit, shit,” he cursed more loudly, knowing his voice would be drowned out by the wind and the open road.  
  
***

  
  
Rey didn’t have plans per se, but she certainly hadn’t planned on following a tall, dark, and mysterious man on a motorcycle to a veterinary office to check up on a kitten rescued from certain death. If she was being completely honest with herself, she didn’t know what to expect when they’d stopped off at the plaza he’d mentioned, but the instant he removed his black helmet and shook his dark, shoulder-length, lightly curled, and sweat damped hair to reveal his devilishly handsome face, she knew she was in BIG trouble.  
  
He’d introduced himself as Ben and despite looking like a Greek God, he obviously enjoyed riding motorcycles and rescuing kittens, so it wasn’t too much of a leap to assume that he was a good person at heart. Unfortunately for Rey, past experiences had left her cautious when experiencing strong feelings of attraction for irresistibly good looking, bad boys. He did buy her a latte though and showed her nothing but gentlemanly courtesy as they took a few minutes to collect their thoughts before deciding on what to do next.  
  
The examination room was remarkably cold, but the kitten didn’t seem to mind the vet’s gentle probing… at first.  
  
“Is she alright?” Rey asked tentatively.  
  
“Oh, she’s fine, just a little shaken up and maybe a bit dehydrated, but some fluids and food will do her good,” Dr. Tico replied as she stroked the kittens head and cheek. With a smile as bright as the sun, she looked up at the two of them before asking, “Do you know what you want to do with her? Are you going to rehome her or…  
  
Rey glanced at Ben who seemed just as unsure as she felt. It was Ben who answered first.  
  
“We’re not sure right now. My roommate isn’t a fan of cats, actually.”  
  
“And my apartment doesn’t allow pets… actually.” Rey added with a tight smile.  
  
Dr. Tico seemed momentarily confused as she glanced between them then her eyes widened with realization as she said, “Oh, you’re not… together?”  
  
Rey felt the color drain from her face, as she glanced, opened mouth at Ben. He seemed just as taken aback by the comment but in unison, they answered.  
  
“NO!”  
  
The doctor reeled slightly and the kitten mewed before Rey quickly added, “I mean, he’s a good samaritan who stopped traffic to get her, but I just pulled over to the side because I didn’t want to hit either of them.”  
  
“Yeah, I just gave her the cat because I was on a motorcycle and couldn’t carry her with me safely, that’s all,” Ben said, flustered.  
  
Dr. Tico smiled, “Oh, well I can give you some names of local shelters if you want. There are plenty of foster opportunities out there if you want to go that route, as well.”  
  
“Thank you, Doctor. That would be fine,” said Ben. He turned to Rey then and added with a small smile, “I can take her for now, it’s really not a problem. I’ll talk my roommate down and we can figure something out.”  
  
“Okay, that sounds fine,” she answered. I suppose I’ll follow you to your place, then.” She said it with a tightness in her throat she didn’t quite know what to make of. What little plans she’d had today had definitely gone sideways but just as she was about to have second thoughts, the kitten squeaked and rubbed its small striped face against her hand.  
  
Her heart melted into a puddle as she ran her fingers over her fine coat. “Don’t worry, little one, we’ll get you set up with a good forever home soon enough.”  
  
Dr. Tico smiled warmly, “Do you have a name for her yet?”  
  
“Oh, I have no idea. I haven’t even given it any thought,” Rey admitted.  
  
“Neither have I to be honest, but I think Lil Death Defier sounds good,” Ben smirked like a little boy who’d just made a clever joke but Dr. Tico and Rey shared a pained, albeit bemused look.  
  
“Yeah, well…” Dr. Tico began, “I think she looks like a Millicent to me.”  
  
“Millicent.” The name rolled off Rey’s tongue like honey. She rubbed the kitten's nose. “I like it. She can be Millie.”  
  
Ben sighed with obvious annoyance as though he were about to mutter something about ‘women’ and their sappy affections, but to Rey’s surprise, no such comment came forth.  
  
“My roommate will appreciate that” he added as he flicked his finger toward her tiny paw. She batted at his overly thick digit with playful curiosity.  
  
“This lil’ girl is about as sassy as he is; I’m sure they’ll get along just fine.”  
  
“Well, if you’re taking her for now, I can get you a temporary carrier to get her there safely then we can settle up the exam and treatments up front.”  
  
“Of course, thank you,” Rey said as Dr. Tico left the exam room. She was back in moments with a small sturdy cardboard carrier that she gently lowered Millicent into. Helpless squeaks issued from the air holes lining the colorful package as Rey carried her out to the front desk.  
  
Ben pulled out his wallet, then a debit card as he prepared to pay for services but Rey pulled out a crumpled Twenty and handed it over to him before he waved it away.  
  
“That’s alright, I can take care of this. Keep it,” he offered.  
  
“No, I insist, you’re taking care of her and she’s going to need some litter, food, toys, you know… cat things! Please, it’s not fair for you to shoulder the cost when neither of us had planned on rescuing a kitten today.  
  
Ben looked at the money in her hands, then his searching brown eyes found hers and a flicker of warmth bloomed in her chest before she looked away. She didn’t like the way she enjoyed looking at him, and she especially didn’t like the way he seemed to enjoy looking at her.  
  
Rey knew next to nothing about this gorgeous hunk of a man or his history. His ‘roomate’ could be his lover for all she knew and she’d be damned if she got her hopes up only to have them so brutally dashed against a wall again. Holding the money out further she reiterated her plea.  
  
“Please, just… take it. It’ll make me feel better,” she added with a pent up breath.  
  
He slowly reached out and gripped the bill between his knuckles, but not before the back of his hand rubbed lightly across her fingertips as he slid the crumpled bill from her grasp. Rey blushed as she put her wallet back in her purse.  
  
“I… hadn’t thought about those other things until you said something anyway, so thank you,” he admitted.  
  
“See? We make a fantastic kitten rescuing team,” she said with an exaggerated punch through the air.  
  
“Angels come in all forms, I suppose.”  
  
Rey felt a stirring in her chest as she looked up at him, and even as she did so he was blushing as hard as she was. Fortunately, Dr. Tico finished the paperwork and authorized the final payment before Ben inserted his card into the chip reader. Moments later, they were finished and Rey was carrying a tiny, mewing kitten in a box out to her car as Ben trailed behind her.  
  
“I don’t live far from here. Just follow me as best you can, but if you get lost I’ll text you the address so you can put it in your GPS. What’s your number?”  
  
Rey’d been so fixated on setting the carrier into the rear seat and wrapping the seatbelt around it that she didn’t think twice before taking his phone and putting it into his contacts. A moment later, he sent her a text message so that she had his number too.  
  
“There, in case we get separated,” he said with a warm smile.  
  
“Thank you.” She watched as he walked back to his bike and put his black helmet on again. That’s when the panic began to set in.  
  
“Oh God… oh no, you just gave him your number… and he just gave you his. He’s literally in my contacts now,” she muttered as she closed her door and turned the key.  
  
Even as she pulled out of the parking lot and followed him, she couldn’t stop her brain from firing a million miles an hour.  
  
“Do not do this, Rey, not again, do NOT fall for a leather-clad, bike riding, bad boy! It never ends well.”  
  
Despite the fact that he had turn signals on the bike, Ben still used hand signals as he turned so when he flexed his left arm to point right, the mesh jacket he wore bunched up in just such a way to accentuate the curve of his bicep.  
  
“Oh… god… dammit.”  
  
Millicent squeaked from the backseat in agreement.  
  
***

  
  
Ben slid his helmet off his sweat damped head as he shut off the bike and pulled the key out of the ignition. Rey had just pulled into a guest parking spot; he blew out a nervous breath as he collected himself.  
  
“You can do this, you can do this. It’s fine, she has your number and knows where you live, it’s good. She’s probably married with three kids for all you know but you won’t know until you ask, right?” He cursed himself and took another breath as he turned to walk over to her car, taking note that she hadn’t turned off the ignition yet.  
  
As he approached the driver side window, she lowered it enough to say, “I suppose this is where we, uh… part ways. I’m sure you’ll find Millie a good home.”  
  
Ben blushed lightly as he interjected, “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come up with me.”  
  
Rey’s eyes widened with surprise but he continued before she could reply, “It’s just that if I show up with a cat in a box by myself, my roommate might think I’m deliberately trying to piss him off but if he sees you and you explain your side of the story, I might be able to convince him to deal for now until I can figure something out.”  
  
Rey swallowed as she blew out a breath. “Oh, um, okay. I don’t see why not? Sure.” She hesitantly turned off her car and pulled the key out of the ignition.  
  
Ben moved to the rear door where Millicent’s carrier was and he gently extracted her, box and all.  
  
“Come on sweetie, let’s get you inside,” Ben cooed as Millie squeaked in gentle protest.  
  
“Oh don’t worry, baby, you’ll be alright,” Rey added as she poked a finger through one of the small air holes.  
  
Together they walked to the elevator and took it to the third floor of the complex where Ben led her to his apartment, unit 306.  
  
“This is me… I can’t promise that my roommate will be fully clothed though, just a warning.”  
  
“Thanks for that,” Rey muttered with amusement.  
  
He opened the door and stepped inside. “Hux, I’m back, I’ve got a guest so put some damn clothes on,” he proclaimed as he entered.  
  
Rey followed him inside as a loud scoff greeted them from within.  
  
“I’m not a nudist, Solo; that was one time!” A moment later a red-haired and pasty-skinned young man appeared and his eyes widened when he saw her.  
  
“Oh, yes… a ‘guest’.”  
  
Ben noticed that Rey seemed to bristle at the way he said that but otherwise, she didn’t argue the point. A moment later, Millicent squeaked and Hux’s expression hardened as he glared down at the carrier.  
  
“What… is… that?”  
  
Ben glanced at the carrier, then at Rey before gesticulating with his free hand, “Okay, don’t get mad, but I may have rescued a kitten from the highway and we need a place to keep her while we find a home for her.”  
  
Hux glared at him before his eyes flicked to Rey. “I suppose you fit into this scenario somewhere?”  
  
Rey waggled her fingers, “Um, so… what had happened was…”.  
  
Ben blushed as she recounted the events and verified his story all the way up to the Vet. That’s when he set the carrier down and opened the top.  
  
“I know it’s sudden and you’re not a fan of cats, but you’re going to love this, I promise you.”  
  
“Oh, am I?” He said skeptically.  
  
Ben gently pulled Millie from the crate with a squeak. Despite Hux’s best efforts, even he couldn’t keep his expression from softening when he saw the tiny furball for himself, if only for a moment.  
  
“Meet Millicent, the Second,” said Ben.  
  
Hux resumed glaring at him. “Is this some kind of joke to you?”  
  
“Hey, for once, it wasn’t my idea. I was going to call her Lil’ Death Defier but the Vet tech pulled Millicent out of nowhere like it was fate or something.”  
  
Hux’s face screwed up with disgust at Ben’s chosen name for her, but he crossed his arms with resignation as Rey added to the conversation.  
  
“It’s true, but what’s wrong with Millicent? I think it suits her.”  
  
Hux rolled his eyes before saying, “A long time ago, in a town far from here, I was once an innocent, if overly sensitive child who’s family dog was named Millicent.”  
  
Ben scoffed, “I’d barely call a Pomeranian a dog.”  
  
“Thank you for your unsolicited opinion, but long story short I loved that dog very much and when she finally died it was very sad and very traumatizing for me!”  
  
“Hence why she’s Millicent… the second,” Ben said as he held the kitten out to him.  
  
His roommate shrank back as if the kitten had some disease he didn’t want to catch, “Ugh, you don’t have put the beast in my face!”  
  
“Hey,” scolded Rey, “She is not a beast! What’s your problem with cats anyway?”  
  
Ben answered before Hux could get a word in, “The neighborhood cats always beat up his ‘dog’ because Pomeranians are basically rats with ten layers of fur.”  
  
“Very funny!” Hux said with deadly sarcasm in his tone.  
  
“Also, he’s being an extra prick because he just broke up with his boyfriend.”  
  
This time, Hux jabbed a finger to the air, “We did not ‘break up’… we are simply ‘on a break’. That’s all.”  
  
“Yeah, like I said,” Ben stage whispered to Rey.  
  
She furrowed her brow and said, “I’m sorry to hear that, I know that can be rough sometimes.”  
  
Hux’s expression softened as he said, “Well, thank you for your sympathies. Oh, where are my manners? Would you like something to drink?”  
  
Ben scoffed, “I was going to ask her that, thank you.” He turned to Rey and repeated, “Would you like something to drink?”  
  
Hux scoffed with obvious annoyance.  
  
Rey tried and failed to suppress a smile as she replied, “Sure, but nothing alcoholic, I have to drive.”  
  
“Of course not. We have sodas, water, juice, you name it,” Hux offered as he stepped into the kitchen.  
  
Ben put Millicent down on the sofa to let her get her bearings while Rey replied, “I’ll have a soda if you don’t mind. It doesn’t matter what.”  
  
Hux reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a can of the generic Dr. Cola and brought it over to her. She thanked him and opened it. When he looked back at the sofa, he stopped and scowled.  
  
“Did that little monster just pee on my couch?”  
  
Ben and Rey shared a look before looking down to see Millicent lightly sniffing the fresh wet spot she’d clearly just left on the fabric. Ben slowly walked toward the paper towels on the counter as he carefully said, “Nooo?”  
  
Hux pinched the bridge of his nose as his blood undoubtedly rose, but Ben was quick to pad down the sofa with the paper towels.  
  
“Perhaps we should put her in your room for now and get her a proper litter box,” said Rey.  
  
“Sounds like an excellent idea,” said Hux, clearly annoyed.  
  
Ben glared at him, then carefully scooped Millie up in his hands and walked to his room. He set her carrier down on the ground and put her beside it.  
  
“Don’t worry about him, he’s just an asshole. He’ll come around,” he said as he grabbed some small workout towels and lined the bottom of the carrier. Once he filled a small bowl with water, he set it beside her and closed the door behind him.  
  
Rey was standing awkwardly in the living room as tiny squeaks of protest followed him down the hall.  
  
“Oh no, she’s already scared,” she said.  
  
“That’s one reason why we should probably hurry and get back as soon as we can. Armie, you’ll be fine by yourself right?”  
  
His roommate glared at him before answering, “I’ll put on some headphones, thank you.”  
  
Ben smirked as he held the door open for Rey and followed her out.  
  
  



	2. Unexpected Feels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben work together to take care of Millicent but soon discover that they enjoy spending more time with each other than either of them had planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of my fluffy Millicent short. There will probably only be one more part as I don't want to take too much time from my main fic, but there will be a happy ending to the story (and the promise of a new beginning) for all involved.
> 
> Practice self-care and read an angst-free fluff fest today!

  
It had already been a long and emotionally exhausting day, but after taking Ben to the pet store and back, conversing the whole way, Rey surprised herself at how comfortable she’d become with the gorgeous man she’d known for less than a day. Instead of a gruff, manly biker bro, he turned out to be a gentle giant with a heart of gold.  
  
Rey knew not to blindly follow assumptions though, especially considering some of her past relationships, but something about his energy just radiated benevolence and she couldn’t help but feel the occasional butterfly in her tummy when she looked over at him. She felt a bit disappointed as they pulled back into his complex with a backseat full of pet supplies, but she parked the car with a sigh and took the key out of the ignition.  
  
“I’ll help you with this stuff,” she offered, though she doubted it was necessary.  
  
“Sure, and you can say bye to the furball too,” he chuckled.  
  
“Of course!”  
  
They brought the litter, the litter box, bag of food, and the few small toys they’d bought up to the apartment. Hux was in the kitchen now, cooking something that smelled delicious but Millie took precedence.  
  
Ben led the way to his room where Millicent let out a long, loud squeal of excitement at their return. A quick glance in the makeshift litterbox revealed a surprisingly large poop considering the size of the kitten, but Rey chuckled.  
  
“I guess it’s a good thing we’ve got a real box.”  
  
“Yeah, I should’ve got air fresheners too,” Ben groused.  
  
After a few moments, they’d had the box filled with scent-free clumping litter and Millie had a bowl full of kibbles with a fresh bowl of water beside it. They closed her in again as Ben accompanied Rey out to the living room. Now, it really was time to leave, but Rey wasn’t sure if she wanted to anymore.  
  
Turning to him slowly, she said, “Well, I guess now that that’s taken care of, I should probably be going.”  
  
Ben’s eyes widened slightly but he gave her an easy smirk as he added,” Oh, yeah I guess it’s been a long day, after all. Maybe you could at least stay a bit and have something to eat,” he said gesturing at Hux.  
  
Rey glanced in that direction and saw the man rolling his eyes with disbelief at what he was hearing. She blushed and quickly said, “Thank you for the offer, but I have food at home and I’ve been out long enough.”  
  
“Oh, okay… not a problem,” Ben said, crestfallen.  
  
With a flutter in her chest, she added, “I have your number though. I’d love to visit and check up on the little furball every now and then, at least until you figure out what you’d like to do with her.”  
  
Ben’s expression lit up at that. “Yeah, of course, you’re welcome here anytime. Just hit me with a text, one or both of us are usually here. I’m sure Millie would like that.”  
  
“I’m sure she would,” she wanted to say, but didn’t, being uncertain if he meant himself or the cat. Her cheeks warmed the longer she looked at him, growing more aware that he was blushing as much as she was.  
  
“Well, thank you for all you’ve done. You saved her life, that means the world to her, I’m sure,” she said at last.  
  
“Yeah, I suppose so,” he agreed.  
  
“It was… a pleasure meeting you all. I’ll be heading out now.”  
  
“Charmed,” Hux grumbled from the kitchen, but as she turned toward the door, Ben quickly stepped up beside her.  
  
“I’ll walk you out.”  
  
“Oh, thank you,” she smiled.  
  
Ever the gentleman, Ben stayed with her as she got to her car but as she opened the door, he fumbled for words as he said, “Um, if you ever, uh, want to get some coffee or lunch sometime… you’ve got my number.”  
  
She searched his expression a moment before he swallowed hard and added, “Of course to discuss the cat. Maybe we can figure out what to do with her.”  
  
Rey knew he was full of shit, but she allowed herself a warm smile as she said, “I’ll think about it. I'm glad you pulled off to the side of the road, Ben. Millie’s in good hands.” She got into her car and turned the ignition before closing the door and rolling down the window.  
  
Ben stepped back a few feet as she prepared to back out but said, “It was nice to meet you too, Rey. I hope to talk to you again. Drive safe.”  
  
Once again, butterflies made loops in her stomach as she smirked, but she nodded politely as she pulled the car back, shifted into drive, and pulled away.  
  
"You will," she whispered to herself.  
  
  


***

Had Ben Solo known how one tiny kitten in the road would have turned his life upside down, he might have been prepared with better conversation starters perhaps, but other than that he wouldn’t have changed a single thing. Rey had taken him up on his offer the following week and they had, technically, gone on a date to discuss what to do with Millicent. The fact that he couldn’t stop losing himself in her hazel eyes was just a bonus as far as he was concerned.  
  
After a few more weeks, Millicent had basically taken over the apartment, much to Armie’s annoyance. Ben kept the litter box in his master bathroom for now as it kept her out of Hux’s hair and in his room when he wasn’t there, but the more he played with the little furball, the less inclined he felt to simply give her away. Surely some family out there would take her, but what then?  
  
What if they decided after a month or two that a cat wasn’t right for them and they dumped her at some shelter? What if they were actually assholes who up and moved after a few years but didn’t take her with them? Ben’s heart ached at the possibility of her ending up worse off than she’d been on the road, also she was genuinely growing on him.  
  
He’d planned on discussing it with Rey when she came over tonight and to hopefully make a decision, though he’d pretty much already made it. Also, there was the convenient fact that as long as he had the cat he would have a reason to ask her over, though he was definitely getting the impression that she didn’t need much of a reason for wanting to see him. That was alright too.  
  
A knock at the door prompted him to get up from the sofa. He let Rey in with his usual smirk.  
  
“Here I am. Busy night with the furball again?” She gestured at Millie who was currently chasing her tail in a circle on the couch.  
  
“Yeah, you could say that.”  
  
She brushed her dark hair back over her ear as she followed up, “May I use your bathroom before we head out?”  
  
“Yeah, of course,” he said gesturing to the hall.  
  
Hux was at his computer desk, mired in work as usual but he did give a polite nod as Rey went past, before promptly raising his brow at Ben.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Oh nothing, far be it for me to pry into your dating life,” Hux said.  
  
“It’s a friendly outing at a movie,” Ben bullshitted.  
  
“A friendly outing doesn’t usually end with snogging, just saying.”  
  
Ben scoffed. “We haven’t ‘snogged’ okay? What the hell even is that? You British and your weird ass vocabulary.”  
  
“May I remind you that American children are shouting ‘yeet’ and ‘on fleek’ at each other?”  
  
“Whatever, language is always evolving,” Ben added as he scooped up Millie and put her in his bedroom. Once Rey stepped out of the bathroom, they both headed to the door.  
  
“Enjoy your night, Hux. Don’t let her cries of spite get to you,” Ben said with a laugh.  
  
“The beast’s power doesn’t work on me, Solo. I’ll be fine.”  
  
With that, they left for their movie. Honestly, he didn’t even care what they were watching, Rey picked it and as long as he was with her, he could endure it. The movie was, well, a movie, and it wasn’t quite as painful as he’d expected it to be. There was drama, ye olde curse words, tits and ass of course, but nothing compared to the moment when Rey tentatively slipped her fingers between his.  
  
He’d looked at her then and met her smile with his own before pulling her hand up to his lips and gave her a gentle kiss. He swore he could see her blush in the dark theater, but after a few moments, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. That was when he couldn’t stop blushing like an idiot and how glad he was for the darkness.  
  
“I had a great time tonight,” she said a few hours later as they stood in front of his apartment door.  
  
“Me too. I’d love to do this more often. I like spending time with you.” He said the words before he had a chance to doubt himself but when he saw her eyes light up, he knew it was the right thing to say.  
  
“I do too. Maybe we can meet up on Tuesday night?”  
  
“That sounds great.”  
  
“Terrific. Well, I suppose it’s goodnight, then?”  
  
“Yeah… yeah,” he didn’t know what else to say, but from the way Rey moved closer to him, he felt a sudden urge to move closer to her as well. She looked up at him with blushing cheeks as her full lips parted as if to offer another reply but no words came out.  
  
Ben’s ears burned as his lips came closer to hers before he chickened out completely and angled toward her cheek instead, causing their faces to press together in an awkward half kiss, half cheek smush that was all around… terrible.  
  
“Shit, I’m sorry,” he said with an embarrassed chuckle.  
  
“No, no, it’s my fault, I thought that you were…”  
  
“Oh I was, I totally was and then I chickened out. Epic, fail.”  
  
They both burst out laughing and the endorphins eased his momentary humiliation enough to regain his confidence. Once they’d collected themselves again, he looked her in the eyes before glancing at her lips again.  
  
“I’d be up for a second attempt… if you are?”  
  
She seemed to glow as she replied, “I’d like that.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
This time, when he leaned in, her lips met his. His heart hammered in his chest as though he’d touched a live wire. He’s had a few good kisses before but this… was… a KISS. The only other thing that made him feel as alive as he did right now was riding his Silencer… but this was easily a thousand times better. Screw money and work, he knew what he wanted from the rest of his miserable existence, to taste Rey’s mouth, to inhale her breath, and feel the heat of her body against his for as long as he could make it work.  
  
By the time they pulled away from each other, he was lightheaded with emotion and considerable… excitement in his nether regions. Looking at her told him that she hadn’t fared any better.  
  
“Wow, it’s like that, huh?” He quipped.  
  
“Yeah, I guess it is.”  
  
He blew out a breath before he nodded toward the apartment, “Want to say goodnight to Millie before you head out?”  
  
“Sure. I love that little furball. I really think you should keep her.”  
  
He smiled. “Me too.” Dizzy with the warm fuzzies, Ben opened the door and stepped inside, only to stop in absolute shock at what he saw.  
  
Armie was passed out on the couch with one leg over the armrest and the other hanging off the cushion but there on his chest, curled into an orange ball, was Millicent.  
  
“Ohhh!” Rey lightly gasped.  
  
“Oh my God… she killed him,” Ben deadpanned.  
  
At that, Hux stirred and rubbed his eyes before looking over at them. “Oh, you’re back already?”  
  
“Making friends, are we?” Ben asked sarcastically.  
  
Hux looked down at the now waking kitten on his chest before saying, “She was crying all night, I couldn’t leave her in there! Naturally, when I sat down she attacked me and, well, I couldn’t very well move her now could I? I’m not that much of an asshole!”  
  
Rey had the widest, stupidest grin on her face that Ben had ever seen as she said, “I knew you had a heart somewhere under that cold exterior of yours.”  
  
Hux rolled his eyes, “Thanks, darling. Wait, you’re both here. Are you gonna shag, because if you are, I’d rather not be here for that.”  
  
“Jesus Christ,” Ben swore under his breath.  
  
“Oh, wow,” Rey said, looking away.  
  
Millicent squeaked as Hux gently picked her up off of his chest and handed her over to Ben, who eagerly took her.  
  
“I only invited her in to say goodnight to the cat. That’s all!”  
  
“Oh, well, my apologies,” he said as he went into the kitchen to grab sparkling water from the fridge.  
  
Ben felt the heat rise in his cheeks as he forced himself to look at Rey, who also struggled to look at him, but she managed it.  
  
“So, pending any other extracurricular activities, Millicent says goodnight.”  
  
Rey scratched the top of the kittens head, eliciting more tiny squeaks of contentment from her before she said, “For the record if any such, um, ‘activites’ were to happen… it would probably be best if it were at my place. Fewer distractions.”  
  
Ben’s brow raised an entire inch as Rey winked suggestively at him before continuing, “But I’m really tired tonight, so I should probably head to bed.” She turned to leave before adding, “But who knows what Tuesday night might bring?”  
  
Ben watched her with disbelief as she smiled mischievously at him before showing herself out. Once the door closed behind her, he lifted Millicent to eye level and said, “You are the best accident I’ve ever had.”  
  
Millicent squeaked in agreement.  
  
  



	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage Hux has grown fond of his furry companion and reflects on the recent months since Ben had rescued her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, at the end of my short but fluffy crack fic! Of course, I had to get Hux's POV in here, after all, he and Millicent go together like burnt toast and butter. :p

“Millicent, sit!”

As he’d expected, Millicent sat, her eyes wide as she stared at the meaty treat in his narrow fingers.

“Now, stay!” He took a cautious step backward, but also as expected, she didn’t stay.

“No, I said, stay!” Armitage corrected and Millicent sat again, eyeing the treat.

He raised his hand in preparation as the young cat’s eyes went wide as saucers.

“Now… destroy!”

He dropped the treat and Millicent swatted it across the linoleum floor of the kitchen, smacking it back and forth like a hockey player going for the goal. In her excitement, the kibble skittered toward the ever-present No Man’s land beneath the stove, but as her skills had developed considerably over the past eight months, she clamped her paw down on top of it just before the treat was lost forever.

The crunch of victory made Armitage smile with pride. “Good girl.”

“You know,” Solo said from the living room, “The more you teach my cat to ‘destroy’, the more I worry I’m going to wake up smothered by fur while you laugh maniacally over my sudden but inevitable demise.”

He chuckled with amusement. “You may get on my nerves from time to time, Solo, but I hardly wish vengeance upon you. Oh no, I have far greater enemies to smite,” he said with a cartoonishly shaking finger.

Tossing Millicent another treat for the hell of it, he put the bag back in the cupboard and stepped out into the living room.

“And besides, she’s our cat now, I’ll have you know.”

“Aww, see I knew you’d finally accept her as your furbaby,” said Rey as she enjoyed her bowl of popcorn on the sofa. Ben was searching for the movie on the stream as Armitage scoffed

“Yes, well soft and furry creatures do have a certain charm I suppose. And she’s progressing rather nicely in her training if I do say so myself.”

Rey rolled her eyes at that, “She’s not a dog, my dude.”

“No, of course not. No matter how much I’d like her to be, she’ll never be Millicent the First, although now that I think about it, that dog was a bit of a little shit.”

Indeed, he remembered several times when that dog snapped at him for playing too rough and other times when he barked without end to the point of everyone’s annoyance. Millicent the Second, however, was much quieter overall, if not more rambunctious and willful than he cared for, but despite his early reservations, she had grown on him.

“So where’s your boy-toy? We’re about to start the movie,” Rey asked.

Armitage sighed with annoyance. “Poe always does this. He shows up when he shows up; he has his own time scale that he goes by. I just call it ‘Dameron Time’.”

As if in answer to his obvious annoyance, there was a knock on the door. “Well, speak of the devil,” Armitage said as he opened the door to his curly-haired partner.

“Babe, I brought the party!” Poe said as he lifted the two six-packs of beer in each hand.

“You’re late,” Armitage stated before stepping aside to let him in.

“Fashionably late, you know me! I’m here aren’t I?” Poe gave him a kiss on the cheek as he walked by. It was then that Millicent meowed in greeting as she rushed over to him.

“Millie, baby, how are you doing, girl?” Poe set the beer on the coffee table as he knelt down to pet her.

“We were about to start without you, dude,” said Ben.

“Ah, I’ve seen this one before. You didn’t have to wait up for me.”

“Oh, now he tells us,” Rey groaned.

“Yes, yes, well we’re all here now, so let’s just get on with it,” Armitage said at last as he grabbed a beer and took his place in his and Poe’s loveseat.

The opening fanfare blared as the movie began, but as he looked around at his friends he couldn’t help but reflect on how different his life had been before Millicent had brought them all together. Never would he have thought that a tiny kitten saved in the road by his overly moody roommate could have such a positive impact on their lives, and yet here they were.

Rey had been discussing the possibility of moving in, even paying her share of the bills; that would be a welcome benefit albeit the apartment would feel somewhat cramped. He felt they could make it work, plus he and Poe had been getting along more so he knew that if he needed another place to stay, he could always spend a night with his ruggedly handsome, if uncultured, boyfriend.

“What the hell is that?” Rey said with mild alarm.

He followed her eyes toward a small bug that was currently flying circles around the living room.

“Poe you let Mothlo in, man,” Ben quipped.

“What? Doors open and bugs get in, so we just have an extra guest. No biggie.”

The moth was small of course, and not a threat to anyone but it was an annoyance as it fluttered around the brightly lit flat panel screen. That’s when a pair of furry orange ears appeared from under the coffee table and Armitage’s heart skipped.

“Millicent, what are you doing?”

She was staring at the moth with all the intensity of a true hunter. She crept closer as stealthily as possible.

“Millie, leave the bug alone!” Rey warned.

She crept closer still.

“Don’t do it, girl. Don’t do it,” said Ben.

Armitage was about to get up to grab her when the disaster happened. Millicent launched herself at the TV and in a blur of orange fur, judo kicked the screen as the moth flew away. The flat panel rocked back hard before falling forward onto the floor with a crack!

A collective shout of horror went up as everyone got out of their seats. Millicent sped away with haste while the moth continued to flap around.

“Millie! Bad kitty!

“Are you shitting me right now?”

“Hahahaha, even the cat’s a movie critic!”

Armitage pinched the bridge of his nose with disdain as Solo and Rey picked up the broken television.

“Is it too late to trade her in for a dog?”

Solo glared at him. “For once I’m almost inclined to agree with you. Millicent the Third, coming right up!”

Armitage turned to glare at the furry beast, who’d since climbed to the top of her tower where she ever so casually licked her paw. He wasn’t certain, but he could’ve sworn she was watching the madness unfold with a distinct look of smug satisfaction on her face.

First, the apartment, then… the world!

Armitage smiled.


End file.
